How to Get Rid of a Bad Odor in a Car
It Stinks!
Try the following methods to get rid of a bad odor in your car. You'll save yourself a great deal of money over hiring a professional, and your car will smell fresh and clean once again. You can get rid of the odor yourself!
Clean it First!
You can't get rid of a bad odor if the source of the odor is still present, so make certain the offending substance is completely gone. Soak up as much liquid as possible with paper towels, and clean the area with a power steamer. If you don't have access to a power steamer, clean the soiled area with a top-quality cleaning product of your choice.
The biggest mistake people can make when cleaning a terribly odorous substance from a car is not allowing the area to dry completely before closing the vehicle. Allow the car to air out for as long as possible, preferably outside. If weather is a factor, air the car out inside a garage, but whatever you do, don't close it up until the freshly cleaned area is absolutely dry.
Charcoal
After the mess has been properly cleaned and the carpet or fabric is completely dry, set an open bag of charcoal in the car. Charcoal is one of the best natural products you can use to absorb and get rid of odors, and after your car smells fresh and clean, you can still use the charcoal for outdoor grilling.
Coffee Grounds
Many truck drivers use coffee grounds to get rid of bad odors from their trailers after hauling fresh onions and other strong smelling loads. As the coffee grounds dry, they absorb odors and leave behind nothing more than the scent of freshly brewed coffee.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another natural product that absorbs and neutralizes all types of odors. Set a bowl of white vinegar in your car to get rid of bad odors left behind after a particularly malodorous mishap. For best results, let the vinegar set undisturbed, after the car has aired out, until the odor has dissipated.
Scent Cover
If you don't like a certain well-known spray that claims to remove odors rather than cover them up, try using scent cover or scent eliminator. Unlike this popular brand of spray, scent cover isn't at all scented. It's meant to cover the smell of human beings so hunters are totally invisible to game.
You can find scent eliminator or scent cover in sport shops and sporting goods departments in discount stores, and you can find it online. It's not exactly cheap, but if you can't get rid of a really tough odor in your car, it's an effective product that can help eliminate the bad smell once and for all.
Published by Crystal Ray - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
Crystal Ray is an award-winning freelance writer and artist from the Chicago area. Her passion is interior design, but she also loves entertaining and crafting. She is continually developing unique and creat... View profile
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- Make certain the offending substance is completely gone or you won't get rid of the odor.
- Coffee grounds, vinegar, charcoal, and scent cover are all great products to try.
- Fabric or carpeting must dry completely in order to get rid of the odor.
13 Comments
Post a CommentI found this product on google called the Auto Shocker quick release that said it would destroy and oxidize virtually any strong odors in a vehicle and had a guarantee on it. I bought one to try on one of the cars i was working on that had a strong stale cigarette smell to see if it would work and sure enough after letting the product work for 24 hours the smell was completely destroyed. I worked on the car for a full month after using the Auto Shocker and the smell never came back I was shocked. I suggest you give it a try and see for yourself!
Funny, dw. No wonder your car smelled bad in the first place. There's no telling what you had in it.
I tried the charcoal. It helped remove the odor. But the article said I could still cook with the charcoal. Set my car on fire.
Sorry I didn't notice your comment sooner, JAS. If it still smells it isn't completely clean. Have you tried everyting I suggested? Ground coffee really does work wonders. For anyone with a smelly vehicle problem, give it a try, but you have to completely clean away the mess or you'll only cover up the smell. Take it one step at a time, and it should work.
we just got home from buying shrimp off the boat. They spilled on the way home and my new car now smells like shrimp. We have cleaned it left windows open and it still smells. Can anyone help me out with suggestions for getting the smell out.
someone said to use vinigar. I just used it I will let you guys know in a few days if it works.
YO i just wanted to give a shoutout to my friends at associatedKontent thanks for the sweet tips, I just used it in my 68 Cadillac and it took all those smells right out.
Great ideas. I also read about an activated carbon odor absorber called Innofresh AUTO ODOR ELIMINATOR, so I tried it for a combination of smoke odor and spilled milk? Well, it worked incredibly well. I had tried lots of different things before and I really don't like those fragranced air fresheners (besides read the warning statements). Instead, this little carbon odor absorber is totally fragrance free so it actually gets rid of the smell. I strongly recommend it. I checked on line and you can also get it at Checker auto, Schucks, Kragen auto and Murrays. Probably also online I'd guess.
If you're car smells and you hate those fragrances like I do, then I suggest you also give this a try.
Great Golly! Coffee Grounds Worked Wonders!
Thanks for writing this. My husband left the windows down in our car, which got rained in heavily for hours overnight. He then left the windows up all day when he parked the car at work. I cannot describe the stench when I next opened the door other than to compare it to a decomposing body. I will certainly try these!